CEO of American Airlines to Speak at Baylor University

by Jaime Bates, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805

Gerard Arpey, chief executive officer of American Airlines, will be on the Baylor University campus and will give a lecture at noon Thursday, April 2, in the Cashion Academic Center of the Hankamer School of Business, as part of the Ben H. Williams Distinguished Speaker Series.

Arpey received his bachelor of business administration in 1980 from the University of Texas. After receiving his master's in 1982, he became a financial analyst at American Airlines. He held several management positions at the airlines before becoming a corporate officer in 1989, when he was elected vice president of financial planning and analysis. Since then, he has held several positions at American, including chief financial officer and chief operations officer.

In April of 2003, Arpey became the president and CEO of American Airlines and AMR Corp., when he was elected a member of the board of directors of both companies. AMR is the parent company of American Airlines. In May of 2004 he became chairman of both the AMR Corp. and American Airlines.

"We choose speakers who are distinguished leaders, who are known for their integrity, and who are influential in their industry," said Cynthia J. Jackson, director of communications and marketing for Baylor's Hankamer School of Business.

The Ben H. Williams Distinguished Speaker Series is sponsored by the Hankamer School of Business and held each semester.

The Ben H. Williams Distinguished Speakers Series honors the memory of Ben Williams, who was a member of the 1923 charter class of Baylor's School of Commerce and Business Administration, what is today's Hankamer School of Business. An Outstanding Alumnus of Baylor and a trustee of the university, Williams endowed a fellowship in 1953 that today funds five separate professorships at Baylor.

For more information, contact Jackson at (254) 710-6495 or visit www.baylor.edu/business/.